Lottie, a talented violinist, disappeared during the Holocaust. Can her grand-niece, Charlie, discover what happened? A long-lost cousin, a mysterious locket, a visit to Nana Rose in Florida, a diary written in German, and a very special violin all lead twelve-year-old Charlie to the truth about her great-aunt Lottie in this intriguing, intergenerational mystery. Charlie, a budding violinist, decides to research the life of her great-aunt and namesake for her middle school ancestry project. Everyone in Charlie's family believes Great-Aunt Charlotte (called Lottie), a violin prodigy, died at the hands of the Nazis, but the more Charlie uncovers about her long-lost relative, the more muddied Great-Aunt Lottie's story becomes. Could it be that Lottie somehow survived the war by hiding in Hungary? Could she even still be alive today? In Searching for Lottie, Susan Ross has written a highly personal work of historical fiction that is closely inspired by her own family history, exploring the ongoing effects of the Holocaust on families today. Includes a letter from the author describing the research that shaped this story.

Can Kiki and Jacques be friends—or are they just too different? Life could be better for twelve-year-old Jacques. His mother just died, his father is jobless, and his grandmother’s bridal store is on the verge of closing. At least he can look forward to the soccer season—after all, he’s a shoo-in for captain. But the arrival of Somali refugees shakes up nearly everything in his French-American Maine town, even soccer. Jacques isn’t the only star anymore—Mohamed is just as good as him, maybe better. School, church, sports . . . everything suddenly seems different. So Jacques is surprised to find himself becoming friends with Kiki, a smart, kind, and strong-minded Somali Muslim girl with a mysterious scar. Can kids as seemingly different as Jacques and Kiki be friends? Kiki and Jacques offers a realistic and heartwarming portrait of a town learning to embrace its changing face. A Bank Street College Best Children's Book of the Year

Who does Lottie like best? Herbie wonders when an exotic new neighbor befriends his best friend. That question -- familiar to children everywhere -- is answered with extraordinary warmth, humor, and insight in Petra Mathers's new picture book treat about Lottie and Herbie.

Lottie secretly knows there is a shark in the pool waiting to eat her, until her new walrus friend, Walter, helps her to conquer her fear.

Sydney Frankel, soon to be a sixth-grader, is looking forward to a summer of fun with her best friend, Maggie. She figures she deserves some time to herself to do what she wants before her mom delivers Sydney's new sibling in just four months. Too bad Sydney's mom has other plans for her. Sydney's forced to take a summer course at the South Miami Community Center. She's allowed to take any class, except for what she really wants—a reading course. But when Maggie comes up with a switcheroo plan so that they can both take the classes they like, unexpected complications arise.

From the bestselling author of Hurrah for Gin! comes the humorous and heart-felt antics of Lottie Brooks, an 11-year-old who is in for one long--and embarrassing--year if she can't learn to laugh at life's little mistakes. Lottie Brooks is 11 ¾ and her life is already over. She's too flat-chested to wear a bra, she's starting seventh grade with zero friends, and even her hamsters are giving her the side-eye. Luckily, Lottie has a plan to reinvent herself this year! It just means following a few rules like: Try hard in class but not so hard you look like a geek Wear some make-up but not enough that it looks like you are wearing make-up Remember, your pencil case says everything about you Too bad Lottie has forgotten the most important rule: be true to yourself. From the bestselling author of Hurrah for Gin! comes a sweet and sassy illustrated series about finding yourself and learning not to take life too seriously.